Packs, such as back packs, are well-known and are used for storing and carrying a wide-range of objects during such activities as camping, hiking and trekking. Packs typically include a plurality of panels which define an internal storage volume. The internal storage volume is typically accessed through a top opening (hereinafter referred to as a top-loading pack), through an opening extending around and along a side of the pack (hereinafter referred to as a side-loading pack), or through an opening extending along a front panel of the pack opposite the user's back (hereinafter referred to as a panel-loading pack). The openings of each of the top-loading pack, side-loading pack and panel-loading packs are conventionally closed by a zipper mechanism. In situations where the pack is over-filled, the zipper mechanism closing the openings frequently fail as a result of the stress placed upon the zipper mechanism.
Top-loading packs require the user to load the internal storage volume through an opening defined on a top of the pack. As a result, objects loaded into the internal storage volume tend to settle towards the bottom of the pack in misalignment with the pack's center of gravity. Because the objects stored in the internal storage volume are loaded from the bottom up, it is often extremely difficult to access those objects stored at the bottom of the pack's internal storage volume.
To provide improved accessibility to objects stored in the pack, panel-loading packs and side-loading packs have been developed. Although panel loading packs provide improved accessibility as compared to top-loading packs, the size of the openings of panel loading packs must be kept relatively small to minimize the stress placed upon the zipper mechanism when the pack is overfilled to prevent the zipper failure. As a result, panel loading packs still fail to provide complete access to the internal storage volume along the longitudinal length of the pack.
With side-loading packs, the entire front panel as well as a portion of the side panels of the pack are opened away from the back panel to access the entire length of the pack. As compared to top and panel loading packs, side-loading packs place even greater stress on the zipper mechanisms. Because the zipper mechanisms extends along the sides of the pack, the forces due to over-packing of items between the front panel and the back panel are transferred directly to the zipper extending along the sides of the pack. As a result, the zipper mechanisms of side-loading packs are even more difficult to close, and are even more susceptible to failure. Thus, over-filling the pack often results in the zipper mechanisms failing. At the same time, if the packs are not filled to capacity, loosely packed items in the internal storage volume will once again settle towards the bottom in misalignment with the user's center of gravity.
To prevent the settling of items within the internal storage volume, many side-loading and panel-loading packs are additionally provided with compression straps or compression mechanisms to compress and hold the items in place within the internal storage volume of the pack. These compression straps typically extend between the front and back and along opposite sides of the pack to compress the front panel perpendicularly towards the back panel of the pack. Although the compression straps or mechanisms may prevent items from settling towards the bottom of the pack, the compression straps pull opposite sides of the zipper mechanisms away from one another to increase the stress on the zipper and correspondingly increase the probability of the zipper failing. In addition, the compression straps do not inwardly compress the sides of the pack toward the centerline of the pack.
As a result, there is a continuing need for a pack having an internal storage volume that is completely accessible, that can be easily closed when full, and that can be fully compressed without increasing stress on the mechanisms used to close the internal storage volume of the pack.